Gay marriage: the issue that could split the Anglican church

Less than a week ago Denmark became Europe’s latest state to grant full marriage rights to gay couples.

The result will be seen as a major blow to the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams

Less than a week ago Denmark became Europe’s latest state to grant full marriage rights to gay couples. But as a 500,000 strong petition was yesterday handed in at Downing Street opposing gay marriage here both the Church in Wales and the Church of England teeter on the brink of a split over the issue. Darren Devine reports

IT is an issue that divides congregations, clerics and their churches like no other.

Gay marriage even seems to drive a wedge between some of the country’s most influential clergy and their consciences by forcing them to take a hardline position in the name of church unity.

Long-time advocate of gay rights the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams has cast same sex marriage as part of a panoply of threats, along with fixations on feminism and race, to both church and national unity.

Similarly an imminent response from the Church in Wales to the Government’s consultation on gay marriage is expected to echo its official position – the institution should be a heterosexuals only preserve.

But it’s thought at least some of the seven Welsh bishops responsible for formulating the recent statement on the church’s official position adopted it to avoid the kind of split that occurred in the US and Canada over the ordination of gay bishops.

There the USA’s Episcopal Church caused an outcry from conservative Anglicans when they held the ordination of openly gay bishop Gene Robinson in 2005.

One Church in Wales source said of the bishops’ stance: “That would certainly be important (to put Church unity before personal feelings) because you don’t want to create division and you want to do things when you feel the church is ready for them and when people are on board.

“Then, there isn’t division and hostility and sometimes these things are a slow process.”

Unlike some of the bishops immediately beneath him Church in Wales, Archbishop Dr Barry Morgan has embraced, rather than resisted, the kind of changes on gay marriage that have already become law in places such as Sweden, Norway and most recently Denmark.

Indeed the Church in Wales bishops’ statement, while espousing “marriage as the union of one man with one woman freely entered into for life”, may also hint at the division between some of their number and the Archbishop.

The bishops’ statement, issued last March, also goes on to acknowledge that while “issues of human sexuality are not resolved, there are couples living in other life-long committed relationships who deserve the welcome, pastoral care and support of the Church”.

In his presidential address in April the Archbishop used an almost identical form of words, saying: “All life-long committed relationships deserved the welcome, pastoral care and support of the Church.”

Meanwhile in its response to the Government’s consultation ending on Thursday the Church of England has said gay marriage threatens its status as England’s established church.

The proposals to allow civil weddings for gay couples could lead to the church being forced out of its role of conducting weddings on behalf of the state.

Church leaders like the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, said introducing same-sex marriage would lead to an unprecedented clash between its own canon law – that marriage is between a man and a woman – and that of Parliament.

It also warned that in spite of ministerial assurances that churches would not have to conduct gay marriages, it would be “very doubtful” whether limiting same-sex couples to non-religious ceremonies would withstand a challenge at the European Court of Human Rights.

Here gay priest Martin Reynolds acknowledged that while the Government’s proposals are a step forward he and other campaigners will never settle for anything less than the right to marry in a church.

Though retired, Rev Reynolds performs services in the dioceses of Llandaff and Monmouth. He said: “It will change marriage as we understand it. They’ll create a sort of religious idea of marriage owned by religious people who can do what they want to do in their corner.”

The 59-year-old Church in Wales clergyman, who with partner Chris Isles, 54, went though a civil partnership in 2006, added: “So my partner and I still will not be able to be married in our church and as the law is presently proposed even if our church votes for us to be allowed to be married it (the law) still won’t allow it.”

Archdeacon of Cardigan Dr William Strange, a member of the Anglo-Catholic conservative alliance Anglican Mainstream, said gay marriage would redefine the institution and open it up to a host of undesirable changes.

Dr Strange, 58, said: “Marriage is defined as the permanent exclusive union of one man and one woman for life – that’s the intention when couples come to get married.

“If you change one of the variables in that, let’s say it’s not necessary to be of a different sex, then why is it necessary for there to be only two of them and for it to be for life?

“In other words once we alter our understanding you could alter any elements of it.”

Dr Strange said evidence from Canada showed after gay marriage was legalised in 2005 people in polygamous relationships began pushing for the right to marry.

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